Virgin Adoring the Christ Child
after 1479
Medium
Glazed terracotta
Dimensions
Overall: 40 1/4 × 21 1/4 × 5 in. (102.2 × 54 × 12.7 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
Italian, Florence
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Adele L. Lehman, in memory of Arthur Lehman, 1965
Accession Number
65.181.24
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the serene glow of Renaissance Florence, Andrea della Robbia crafted *Virgin Adoring the Christ* after 1479, a exquisite example of the family's signature glazed terracotta technique. This medium, perfected by the Della Robbia workshop, involved firing clay sculptures with a vibrant, durable enamel glaze—often in signature whites, blues, and golds—that protected them from the elements, making them ideal for both indoor altarpieces and outdoor church decorations. Measuring over three feet tall, this relief sculpture captures a tender moment of devotion, with the Virgin Mary gazing lovingly a...
About the Artist
Andrea della Robbia
Andrea della Robbia was one of the most successful and prolific of the della Robbia family. He trained with his uncle, Luca della Robbia, assisting in his workshop, and by 1470, had assumed its supervision. Typically, his works are more complex than Luca's, with more expressive figures and compositions. He worked on many commissions during the 1470s, and also began a series of tin-glazed terracott...